The Public Needs Protection from Impaired Pilots
Recently there have been multiple media reports about risks to passengers and people on the ground caused by dangerous aviation pilots who should not have been in position to control an aircraft. Some of these pilots were mentally unstable. Some had substance abuse issues. Others cross the line into the realm of threatening and unlawful behaviors.
A few examples of pilots exhibiting serious symptoms of psychological imbalance, drug use, and criminal behavior include the following.
Off-Duty Pilot Imperils Airline Passengers When Attempting to Shut Down Engines
A 10/25/2023 CNN report, Off-duty Pilot Accused of Trying to Shut Off Airliner's Engines Mid-Flight Said He Took 'Magic Mushrooms' 48 Hours Before the Incident, Court Documents Say, provides details about how a 44 year old off-duty pilot, Joseph Emerson, attempted to turn off the aircraft engines mid-flight. At the time he was riding in the cockpit of an Alaska Airlines flight operated by Horizon Air on an aircraft that was in route to San Francisco after departing from Everett, Washington.
After Emerson was subdued by the captain and first officer, the plane was diverted to Portland International Airport (PDX) where he was apprehended and jailed. Emerson reported feeling depressed in the six months leading up to this incident. In addition he said he had not slept in the previous 40 hours.
As noted in the report,
"It's highly unlikely that psilocybin – sometimes called "magic mushrooms" – would still be in the pilot's system 48 hours after use, but it's possible he could have been feeling the lingering effects of the drug, said Matt Johnson, a Johns Hopkins professor who studies psychedelics and other drugs. Johnson likened mushroom use to drinking alcohol – while a person is no longer drunk the day after drinking, the hangover caused by alcohol could impair their behavior or ability to function.
It's possible that the lingering effects of psilocybin, existing depression and sleep deprivation could have created a "perfect storm," in which Emerson was experiencing behavioral changes or derealization, Johnson said.
Derealization is a feeling of detachment from one's surroundings. People often describe the experience as feeling as though they're in a movie or a dream. "Psychotic-like behavior" is among the risks of taking psilocybin, particularly for those with existing psychiatric disorders, said Johnson."
Emerson has been charged in federal court with interfering with a flight crew, the US Attorney's Office for the District of Oregon announced Tuesday. That charge comes on the heels of dozens of state charges filed in Oregon, including 83 felony counts of attempted murder, 83 counts of reckless endangerment and one count of endangering an aircraft, booking records show. He pleaded not guilty to all state charges Tuesday.
After the cockpit confrontation, Emerson was taken to the rear of the aircraft, but then attempted to grab the handle of an emergency exit during the flight's descent, according to a release from the US attorney's office.
To view the article in its entirety click here.
Student Pilot Damages 10 Aircraft After Being Denied a Solo Flight
According to a 10/27/2023 AVweb article, Aircraft Damaged After Student Denied Solo, a 23 year old student pilot at Treasure Coast Flight Training in Stuart, Florida vandalized 10 planes after being told he was not ready for a solo flight. As noted in the article,
In a Facebook post, the Martin County Sheriff's department said the student, Sumebh Singh, was arrested at Witham Field Airport Monday afternoon on charges of felony criminal mischief after damaging throttles on 10 of the school's aircraft.
According to Chief Deputy John Budensiek, Singh had allegedly paid $50,000 to Treasure Coast Flight Training and became agitated after instructors told him he wasn't ready to solo. According to the Deputy, Singh's goal was to cause $50,000 in damages for what he had paid to the school.
Investigators said all flight school aircraft have since been grounded until mechanics can evaluate the extent of the damage. "We're not certain that that's all the damage he did," Budensiek said. "That's just what we can immediately see."
For additional information see this WPTV news report, Flight School Student Arrested After 10 Aircraft Vandalized, Solo Flight Denied.
Pilot Arrested for Stalking Local Resident
Another incident involves a pilot accused of stalking a Skylerville, New York woman for the better part of four years.
This three minute 10/10/2023 Inside Edition segment, 65 Year Old Charged with Allegedly Stalking Woman summarizing this frightening situation includes a quote from Skylerville Mayor, Dan Carpenter, "The mental state of this guy is in question. No one knows whether he is going to crash into their homes."
For additional information see 10/13/23 Oregon Aviation Watch posting, Aerial Stalker Banned from Flying.
Co-Pilot of 8/22/2023 Delta Flight Threatens to Shoot Pilot
Per a 11/1/2023 Associated Press report by David Koenig, Delta Says Pilot Accused of Threatening to Shoot the Captain No Longer Works for the Airline,
"Jonathan J. Dunn was indicted Oct. 18 and charged with interfering with a flight crew over an incident that occurred during a flight in August 2022. The Transportation Department's inspector general says Dunn, who was the first officer or co-pilot, threatened to shoot the captain after a disagreement over diverting the flight to take care of a passenger with a medical issue."
Student Pilot and Flight Instructor Crash After Buzzing Boaters in Colorado
Another highly troubling event involving menacing behavior by pilots occurred in Colorado. As reported in a 1/30/2023 Denver Post article, Pilot Charged with Flying Plane Recklessly Toward Boats on Horsetooth Reservoir on 9/11 Anniversary,
"Authorities in Larimer County are searching for a 35-year-old pilot charged with flying recklessly toward boats on Horsetooth Reservoir on the anniversary of the 9/11 terrorist attacks last year.
The Larimer County district attorney charged Ahmed El-Kaddah with five counts of menacing and six counts of reckless endangerment – both misdemeanors – in connection with a Sept. 11, 2022, plane crash, the sheriff's office said in a news release Monday.
A warrant was issued for El-Kaddah's arrest, but authorities believe he fled the country after the incident and has not returned.
"The fact that someone would show such reckless disregard for the lives of others is concerning, but it's even more disturbing on a date that holds so much pain and significance for our country," Larimer County Sheriff John Feyen said in a statement.
Around 7 p.m. on Sept. 11, authorities responded to a plane crash in the area of Horsetooth Mountain, locating a damaged Cessna 172M and two occupants with minor injuries.
See this 3 minute CBS News Colorado clip Incredible Photos Show Plane Flying Only Feet-Above a Boat on Horsetooth Reservoir Shortly Before It Crashed.
Thousands of Pilots Investigated for Falsifying Medical Records
According to this 8/27/2023 Washington Post report by Lisa Rein and Craig Whitlock, 5,000 Pilots Suspected of Hiding Major Health Issues. Most are Still Flying.
Federal authorities have been investigating nearly 5,000 pilots suspected of falsifying their medical records to conceal that they were receiving benefits for mental health disorders and other serious conditions that could make them unfit to fly, documents and interviews show.
The pilots under scrutiny are military veterans who told the Federal Aviation Administration that they are healthy enough to fly, yet failed to report – as required by law – that they were also collecting veterans benefits for disabilities that could bar them from the cockpit.
Veterans Affairs investigators discovered the inconsistencies more than two years ago by cross-checking federal databases, but the FAA has kept many details of the case a secret from the public.
To access the article in its entirety click here.
Concluding Remarks
The cases discussed in this posting illustrate the dangers posed by pilots suffering from untreated mental and substance abuse disorders, conditions that can imperil the lives of aircraft passengers as well as people on the ground. Those responsible for aviation safety, including the federal government, the FAA, and the aviation industry, clearly need to improve monitoring and screening of pilots to identify those whose capabilities and judgment are compromised.
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